Friday, May 3, 2013

When I Grow Up...

When you're a kid, people are always asking what you want to do when you grow up. It's exciting to think about the future and dream. Kids can hope without boundaries and dream really big. In my opinion, those are some of the best kinds of dreams. As we become older, our dreams become constrained by logistics and life in general. Too bad.

Like most kids, I dreamed big and dreamed often. Some people have always known what they wanted to do with their lives. Not me. Almost everything seemed enticing (still does). Over the years some of the jobs I dreamed of were pretty diverse:

marine biologist

rancher

sports reporter or analyst

physicist

librarian

photographer

producer/director of Broadway plays or movies

cartoonist or animator

computer programmer

researcher

chef or baker

psychologist or art therapist for kids

scientist in the field of artificial intelligence

special effects person for the movies

astronaut

photojournalist for National Geographic

athlete (tennis or volleyball, sadly I definitely lacked the talent!)

and, of course, writer and teacher

That's only part of the list of the careers I seriously considered - I do have eclectic tastes! Obviously I drove my parents batty over the years delving into all kinds of topics and career research. It took me forever to make a decision!!! And who knows what I'll try once I retire from teaching!

I'm over at From the Write Angle today talking about the life/growth cycle of dreams. I hope you'll join the discussion!So, out of curiosity, what were your dreams when you were a little one? What did you want to 'be'?

47 comments:

Honestly? I wanted to be president until I spent my first three years of college as a political science major. I learned politics is a nasty, ugly business in which doing what's right always plays second fiddle to keeping others from doing what's wrong. An important role, no question, but not the one I envisioned growing up. :)

Have fun guest posting. I really enjoyed your diverse list of career options. I wanted to be a songwriter first, I remember writing lyrics - and singing them - in the back garden when I was about six. Then, I wanted to be a nurse but I discovered needles and blood make me do-the-Bella ;) After that I wanted to write poetry or "books" - some things never change ;)

Being the jock I was, I wanted to play major league baseball.I changed my major from premed to teaching in college because I couldn't stand all those hours in the lab while everyone else was outside enjoying the sun.

I didn't have super big dreams back then. But I do agree that adult responsibilities limit them. It's sad but I have to tell my teenage daughter with the economy the way it is to pick something marketable.

Sounds familiar! In high school, we were given a career guide. I went through and highlighted every second occupation ranging from actress to optometrist. Then I went on to flutter through a very diverse range of careers. I wouldn't change a thing from my eclectic resume - it's all great inspiration for stories.

My hubby is the opposite. He studied a double degree in sciences and has stayed in an environmental science career his whole life and I could not imagine him doing anything else!

Well, I wanted to be an archaeologist (spelling?) a psychologist, travel writer, zoologist...until I found out I would have to shovel...anyway, I even wanted to be in the circus! Well, I teach...that's a little of them all!

All my life I wanted to be a veterinarian. I would jump from marine animals to exotics on a wildlife preserve. I thought about teaching. I also wanted to be an artist, a cop, a model (although I totally don't have the right build for it), a journalist. Now my dreams are to be published & someday have adorable kids.

When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be an archeologist or an opera singer. After that, there was nothing else besides becoming a teacher. I did that for a decade. Now I want to be a writer when I grow up. We'll see if that dream comes true.